The number of public locations such as airports and coffee shops that provide Internet access continues to grow. These public access locations are commonly referred to as “venues,” “hotspots,” and/or broadly as “access points.” Wireless hotspots can be a place where patrons, while visiting an establishment, are permitted to interface with and utilize a computer connected to the Internet via wireless technology, and may consist of multiple wireless elements known as access points.
Deployed hotspots often include a special switch that validates a requesting user's right to utilize the hotspot and to access the Internet via its associated network. In some cases, the switch may be relatively feature-rich and support several functions. In other cases, the switch may simply block a user's traffic until the user's right to use the hotspot and network is validated. However implemented, including a switch at a hotspot location increases costs. Switches generally can be referred to as access control gateways (ACG). Providers have attempted to reduce these switch-related costs by providing an ACG that has a reduced purchase price, but these lower cost ACGs tend to have reduced functionality and reliability and increased set-up and maintenance costs.
It would be desirable to keep the implementation and maintenance cost of hotspots minimized without limiting the features and functionality of the hotspot. Accordingly, what is needed is a cost effective solution that facilitates rapid and broad deployment of broadband wireless public access, but does not compromise functionality, manageability, scalability, and security of the network.